Juan E. Gilbert

Evaluating the ergonomics of BCI devices for research and experimentation

The use of brain computer interface (BCI) devices in research and applications has exploded in recent years. Applications such as lie detectors that use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to video games controlled using electroencephalography (EEG) are currently in use. These developments, coupled with the emergence of inexpensive commercial BCI headsets, such as the Emotiv EPOC ( http://emotiv.com/index.php) and the Neurosky MindWave, have also highlighted the need of performing basic ergonomics research since such devices have usability issues, such as comfort during prolonged use, and reduced performance for individuals with common physical attributes, such as long or coarse hair. This paper examines the feasibility of using consumer BCIs in scientific research. In particular, we compare user comfort, experiment preparation time, signal reliability and ease of use in light of individual differences among subjects for two commercially available hardware devices, the Emotiv EPOC and the Neurosky MindWave. Based on these results, we suggest some basic considerations for selecting a commercial BCI for research and experimentation. Statement of Relevance: Despite increased usage, few studies have examined the usability of commercial BCI hardware. This study assesses usability and experimentation factors of two commercial BCI models, for the purpose of creating basic guidelines for increased usability. Finding that more sensors can be less comfortable and accurate than devices with fewer sensors.

Toward culturally responsive computing education

Improving academic success and social development by merging computational thinking with cultural practices.

Assessing the Impact of Latency and Jitter on the Perceived Quality of Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2

Jane McGonigal stated in her 2010 TED Talk that humans spend 3 billion hours a week playing video games around the planet. Americans alone devote 183 million hours per week to gaming. With numbers like these, its no wonder why end user demands for bandwidth have increased exponentially and the potential for network congestion is always present. We conduct a user study that focuses on the question: How much network impairment is acceptable before users are dissatisfied? In particular, the main objective of our study is to measure a gamers perceived Quality of Experience (QoE) for a real-time first person shooter (FPS) online game Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 in presence of varied levels of network congestion. We develop a Mean Opinion Score (MOS) metric to determine each gamers QoE. We investigate the following hypothesis: The gamers perceived QoE correlates to their skill level.

Virtual shopping agents

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the visual presence of a virtual agent on a retail Web site reveals positive outcomes for older users with respect to enhancing perceived interactivity, social support, trust and patronage intentions and alleviating user anxiety. Design/methodology/approach – A between-subjects laboratory experiment was conducted with 50 older users, which included an interaction experience of 30 minutes followed by a paper-based questionnaire. The visual presence of the agent was manipulated in a mock retail Web site through the presence or absence of a virtual agent image, while maintaining the same agent functionality. Findings – The contrasts of senior users’ shopping experiences between two agent-mediated Web sites (with or without agent image) support the direct “persona” effects of a virtual agent’s visual presence on enhancing perceived interactivity, social support, trust and patronage intentions in the retail Web site, while alleviating user anxiety. ...

Evaluating Engagement Physiologically and Knowledge Retention Subjectively through Two Different Learning Techniques

This paper describes the findings of a replication study conducted at a different location. This study measures the engagement level of participants objectively from two learning techniques: video game and handout (traditional way of learning). This paper may help other researchers design their own Brain-Computer Interface study to measure engagement. In addition, the results of this paper shows a correlation analysis between Engagement (measured physiologically) and knowledge measurement (subjective data). Further, this paper describes briefly the limitations of the Emotiv non-invasive EEG device, which may help researchers and developers understand the device more.

Balloting: Speeding Up the Voting Process

Long wait times at the voting polls has grown to be one of the biggest issues in the United States (U.S.) voting process. To address this issue, Balloting is presented as part of a solution to speed up the voting process. The Balloting process gives the voter an opportunity to electronically mark a ballot at his/her convenience, print the completed ballot in the form of a Quick Response (QR) code, and on Election Day, the voting machine is used to scan the voter’s QR code, which brings up the voter’s prior completed ballot for review and modification before officially casting the ballot. A preliminary study was conducted to measure the efficiency of Balloting compared to other methods of voting. As hypothesized, the study revealed that Balloting significantly reduced voting time, which consequently reduces long wait times at the voting polls.